The World Jewish Diplomatic Corps
Mission
The World Jewish Diplomatic Corps (WJDC) has dual, integrated missions which simultaneously serve the current diplomatic needs of the Jewish people while providing for the future of Jewish diplomatic leadership. The WJDC:
- Effects diplomatic outreach to regional and global inter-governmental institutions on issues affecting Jews and Israel;
- Utilizes the part-time services of young Jews established in their own professions across the globe, and by doing so, develops the talents and skills of the next generation of Jewish lay leaders – for local, national or international service.
The WJDC is an outgrowth of a two-year World Jewish Congress (WJC)
project entitled the Young Professionals Diplomatic Corps.
Program
The WJDC participants engage with governmental and political decision-makers in a variety of venues at which the vast amount of international policy-making is achieved through multilateral decisions and programs.
For example, the International Red Cross Movement, after years of lobbying, accepted a formula through which Israel’s Magen David Adom became a full member of the International Federation fo Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The WJDC was present at the decisive Red Cross Conference, observed the deliberations, and intervened with voting delegates to advance the position of MDA and in some instances swayed the votes of national delegates.
The heart of the WJDC program is the preparation for, attendance at, and follow-up to specific international diplomatic events.
Diplomatic Effort
The WJDC diplomatic effort consists of a series of steps, implemented to varying degrees depending on the objective:
- Identifies prospective meetings of international/multinational organizations whose agendas include issues of importance to Jews and/or Israel;
- Prepares a written policy position and strategy for these meetings;
- Informs national Jewish community organizations, via the WJC, of upcoming meetings, highlighting those communities whose governments sit on the particular
- Multilateral body to give them the opportunity for approaching their own governments on the issue. (Because of the plethora of International Organizations and the competing interests for attention from a given foreign ministry, many Jewish communities and their governments are often unaware of the agendas and policy implications of these important meetings.);
- Attends multilateral meetings under the auspices of the WJC with the objective of achieving as many of the following as possible: presenting the WJC position to the body in formal session; lobbying the voting or representative members of the organization; informing the media; and attending the deliberations;
- Reports back to Jewish communities and organizations on the outcome of events, and particularly, the positions and votes taken by each member country, again, assisting national Jewish organizations to engage their own governments with information not otherwise available.
The Corps
To build and sustain a corps of young diplomats and leaders, the WJDC uniquely provides the necessary resources and then activates, facilitates and engages successful, talented Jews – who are professionals in their own fields – in diplomacy on behalf of Jewish interests. In short, the WJDC is put to work on a project-specific basis. Jewish Diplomats (JDs) are empowered to represent the organization on a local, regional and international level and pursue tangible results from their efforts, whether side-by-side with WJC professionals or on their own. This way, Corps members learn by doing and become effective leaders in advancing the Jewish agenda from day one. The method ensures the program earns maximum return for its investment in each JD. To achieve this, the Program:
- Identifies Jews between the ages of 30 and 45 who are established in their own professions, and who wish to engage in volunteer work on behalf of Jews and Israel;
- Provides issue briefings and diplomatic training from leading professionals who operate in the international arena in the context of International Organizations;
- Provides on-the-job-training by assisting and supervising the JDs as they operate at diplomatic venues;
- Provides opportunities for JDs to review their experiences with other JDs, provide critical feedback to the WJC and its member communities, recommend policy changes, and develop new strategies.
- Develops opportunities for the JDs to meet with those interested in the same goals, such as Israel or home-country ambassadors, other multilateral non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and experts;
- Organizes sufficient opportunities for JD participation in the diplomatic process so that they gain experience, achieve goals and maintain an active relationship with the program and with specific diplomats.
WJDC Filling an International Diplomatic Void
The WJDC fills a diplomatic void by engaging knowledgeable and talented JDs into multilateral fora on a timely and consistent basis. The JDs provide areas of expertise and specialization toward which early engagement often influences the dialogue, agenda and outcome of the diplomatic process.
Examples which highlight an extraordinary range of opportunity include the following:
- Interpol recently decided to list several Iranians as international criminals sought by Argentina for the bombing of the Jewish Center in Buenos Aires. JDs were involved in pressing for this decision, taken by 118 countries.
- As noted earlier, JD participation at the Red Cross Conference had an impact on the outcome. Future monitoring is essential to counter attempts to make the Red Cross another political forum for attacks on its newest member.
- Organization of American States (OAS) members need to increase their efforts against terrorism within their national borders and step up the fight against the illicit drug industry which provides financial support for terrorist organizations.
- Programs to combat anti-Semitism are promoted in a number of International Organizations, most prominently the European Commission and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
- Of course, with historic consistency, a plethora of UN bodies, commissions, councils and other subsidiary entities spend the bulk of their time and budgets condemning Israel and keeping Israel from being a full participant in the international arena.
These entities – and dozens of others – might be called “intermediate agencies.” The voting delegates are usually appointed diplomats who report to and receive instructions from non-elected bureaucrats in their home countries. Equally important, the staffs of these intermediate bodies are even more removed from the political level decision-makers and their citizens in the home country. These diplomats and staff operate far from the public eye, sometimes far from the eyes of the political leaders of the nations they represent, and often without the benefit of thoughtful analysis of possible consequences of their prospective deliberations on Jews and/or Israel. With global and regional representation, JDs can approach, communicate with, educate and develop a working relationship with these intergovernmental professionals who are critical elements of modern international decision-making.
WJDC Diplomatic Focus for 2008
In consultation with the WJC, the primary projects of the 2008 program will include:
Globally
- The upcoming UN-sponsored Durban II conference on Human Rights.
- Nuclear Iran: Diplomatic and economic counter-measures
- Anti-Semitism
- Inter-religious Affairs
Regionally
- Restitution: Research projects to identify vulnerabilities of some European governments’ stonewalling of restitution
- Ongoing involvement with OSCE, UN HRC, ICRC, Mercosur, OAS etc.
- Iran’s influence in the domestic affairs of others, initially in South America
For more information please contact
The 'Shared Memories- Collective Action' program
A global initiative to involve students in learning about the unique place of the Shoah in the context of world Genocides
The goal of this process is to strengthen students' awareness, knowledge and understanding of the unique place the Shoah occupies in the context of world genocides and crimes against humanity through history.
It also aims to promote action by enabling the participants to carry out concrete initiatives concerning the Shoah, past genocides and the combating of anti-Semitism and other forms of racial discrimination.
The Future Generations Division, in cooperation with the World Holocaust Forum, led the first global seminar of the “Shared Memories – Collective Action” program on May 27 – June 1, 2007 at the International School for Holocaust Education at Yad Vashem.
Over 20 participants from 12 countries and five continents were carefully selected by the WJC Future Generations Division in cooperation with Jewish communities and local organizations. They were addressed by prominent speakers such as Prof. Yehuda Bauer and Prof. Dan Michman.
In one session entitled “Survivors Panel,” the seminar participants were addressed by a panel comprised of a Holocaust survivor, Dr. Ehud Lev, a survivor from Rwanda, Jean-Marie Kananura, and a refugee from Darfur who was granted asylum and now lives in Israel. The panel members presented their heart-wrenching personal stories, along with their long-term vision for initiatives they intend to carry out in their respective countries, with the assistance of WJC Future Generations Division and the World Holocaust Forum.
Within 18 months, we expect to attain a global pool of approximately 250 dedicated, knowledgeable students who are willing to further engage in the study of the Holocaust, different forms of anti-Semitism, racism and genocide.
This global network of students will be brought to Berlin, Germany in November 2008 for a three-day conference entitled "The Threats of Racist Trends to World Security" and will participate in the official commemoration ceremonies of the 70th anniversary of "Kristallnacht", organized by the World Holocaust Forum.
Officers
Director: Peleg Reshef
Contact details
WJC Israel
Branch
9a Diskin Street
Jerusalem 96440
Israel
Tel: +972-2- 633 3007
Fax: +972-2- 633 3011
Mobile: +972-54-2488603
email: peleg@wjc.co.il
